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SpaceX Paused Starlink Launches to Give its Internet Satellites Lasers

posted by martyb on Friday August 27 2021, @08:58AM   
from the space-lasers-with-optional-sharks dept.

DannyB writes:

SpaceX paused Starlink launches to give its internet satellites lasers

SpaceX hasn't launched any Starlink internet satellites since June. It turns out it's because the company has been adding "lasers" to the spacecraft.

[...] "We're flying a number of laser terminals right now in space," Shotwell said, adding that SpaceX is now working to integrate lasers into all of its Starlink satellites.

"That's why we have been struggling for six or eight weeks — we wanted the next set to have laser terminals on them," Shotwell said.

[...] With this technology, SpaceX hopes that ground stations on Earth won't be necessary with every batch of satellites as part of the constellation. Making this change could allow satellite internet coverage to reach areas where ground stations cannot be built, Shotwell explained.

The recent launch lull won't last much longer

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Original Submission

• Re:Lasers? Re:Lasers? (Score: 2, Funny) by Mockingbird on Friday August 27 2021, @09:41AM (1 child)

  by Mockingbird (15239) on Friday August 27 2021, @09:41AM (#1171374) Journal

  Sharks.

  Parent

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• Re:Lasers? (Score: 3, Funny) by Tork on Friday August 27 2021, @05:11PM

  by Tork (3914) on Friday August 27 2021, @05:11PM (#1171464)

  Sigh. Bozos making me update my sig.

  --
  🏳️‍🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️‍🌈

  Parent